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Evan Katz Advances to Match Play at U.S. Amateur
8/12/2020 12:50:00 PM | Men's Golf
BANDON, Ore. -- Duke men's golf senior Evan Katz is one of 64 headed to match play at the 120th U.S. Amateur Championship, after surviving 36 holes of stroke play and a frantic 18-person playoff on Wednesday morning at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort on Oregon's Pacific coast.
The starting field of 263 players, which also included Katz's classmate Adrien Pendaries, incoming freshman Ian Siebers and former Blue Devil Yarik Merkulov, was whittled down to the top 64 and ties following 36 holes of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday.
Katz's two-over par 145, which included a two-over 73 during Monday's wind-beaten round on Bandon Trails and an even-par 72 Tuesday on Bandon Dunes, left him in an 18-way tie for the final three spots. The playoff was Wednesday, and Katz wasted little time punching his ticket, finding the middle of the fairway with a three-wood off the tee, knocking a wedge to nine feet and making birdie on the opening hole -- the 375-yard 10th at Bandon Dunes.
"Being here this week and experiencing links style golf along with some incredible views has been amazing," said Katz. "It was not an easy path getting to match play, but stepping up and hitting a few good shots under pressure made it that much sweeter. Anything can happen in match play, so I'm going to rest up, get off my feet for a bit and get ready to start fresh later today."
Katz's first-round opponent at 2:15 p.m. PT (5:15 p.m. ET) is James Piot, a rising junior at Michigan State, who finished second in stroke play with his nine-under par 134 score (69-65). The winner faces Jordan Batchelor or William Mouw on Thursday in the Round of 32 at 8:20 a.m. PT. Thursday's schedule also includes Round of 16 matches in the afternoon.
Live coverage of the Round of 64 matches air on Peacock (NBC's new streaming service) from 6-7 p.m. tonight, with Golf Channel's live coverage from 7-9 p.m. ET.
U.S. Amateur Stroke Play -- Duke Results
T62. Evan Katz -- 73-72=145 (+2)
MC. Yarkic Merkulov -- 74-76=150 (7)
MC. Ian Siebers -- 78-75=153 (+10)
MC. Adrien Pendaries -- 79-75=154 (+11)
#GoDuke
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The starting field of 263 players, which also included Katz's classmate Adrien Pendaries, incoming freshman Ian Siebers and former Blue Devil Yarik Merkulov, was whittled down to the top 64 and ties following 36 holes of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday.
Katz's two-over par 145, which included a two-over 73 during Monday's wind-beaten round on Bandon Trails and an even-par 72 Tuesday on Bandon Dunes, left him in an 18-way tie for the final three spots. The playoff was Wednesday, and Katz wasted little time punching his ticket, finding the middle of the fairway with a three-wood off the tee, knocking a wedge to nine feet and making birdie on the opening hole -- the 375-yard 10th at Bandon Dunes.
"Being here this week and experiencing links style golf along with some incredible views has been amazing," said Katz. "It was not an easy path getting to match play, but stepping up and hitting a few good shots under pressure made it that much sweeter. Anything can happen in match play, so I'm going to rest up, get off my feet for a bit and get ready to start fresh later today."
Katz's first-round opponent at 2:15 p.m. PT (5:15 p.m. ET) is James Piot, a rising junior at Michigan State, who finished second in stroke play with his nine-under par 134 score (69-65). The winner faces Jordan Batchelor or William Mouw on Thursday in the Round of 32 at 8:20 a.m. PT. Thursday's schedule also includes Round of 16 matches in the afternoon.
Live coverage of the Round of 64 matches air on Peacock (NBC's new streaming service) from 6-7 p.m. tonight, with Golf Channel's live coverage from 7-9 p.m. ET.
U.S. Amateur Stroke Play -- Duke Results
T62. Evan Katz -- 73-72=145 (+2)
MC. Yarkic Merkulov -- 74-76=150 (7)
MC. Ian Siebers -- 78-75=153 (+10)
MC. Adrien Pendaries -- 79-75=154 (+11)
#GoDuke
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